Firing switch for rocket launchers



Aug. 23, 1949. P. T. NlMs FIRING SWITCH FR ROCKET LAUNCHERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 19, 1947 ug. 23, 949. P. TJNlMs- FIRING SWITCH FORROCKET LAUNCHERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1947 Lgs////,////

F1111 T. Nima Aug. 23, 1949.

P. T. NlMS FIRINCT SWITCH FOR ROCKET LAUNCHERS Filed Aug. 19, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fnul T. Nima Aug. 23, 1949. P. T. NiMS 2,479,769

FIRING SWITCH FOR ROCKET LAUNCHERS Filed Aug. 19. 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 23, 1949 P. T. NlMs FIRING SWITCH FOR ROCKET LAUNCHERS Filed Aug. 19, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 23, 1949. P. T. NMS 2,479,769

FIRING SWITCH FOR ROCKET LAUNCHERS Filed Aug. 19, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 SE' 11E-I gmc/mm P11111 T. Nin-1.5

ments; andfthat 'itsscopeA farrowsf, I -Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical section on the Iar-rowsi:

Patented Aug. 23, 1949 This invention relates to a new and useful improvementfinaring switches for-frockget y launchers and is designed.-vto;provideza; device fQr-Mring electrically ignited rockets by manual operation of a magnet/mand rcoiliaf'he fpaltiularly ,novel and usefulnfeature of; the device is-the peculiar relation? of fat fcurrent igenerationt-Vmeansg,and, a distributor so that peak `.current generation and the circuit closing p1ze'cisel.v;.coincide,l Another valuablezdeatures the actuation o fthe magneto by the manual driving means through anrimpulyse coupling; the maignetorespondingtto themplllse of springhmeanswpreeiselyi-itensioned by the manual# driving. meansv wThe.: novel.; structure eii'ects uniform high-ispeed actuation;l ofE the magneto v toj f produceY `:ther: current a ,of `voltage requisite for ring, regardless ofthe speedoi the manual `driving meansis.j heifmechanism- 11S capable ofi 'reverse-A movement. y.whereby the distributor canbefsemlforinitial iiring pf a `selected rocket,- or ,a-tpiuralityu of Lseleoted froclretsgf,l This movement iszeiected .by fmereirreversal of direction oftmovement of theemanualdriving means, the devicea-frequiringe:notadusting modiiication and such reverseA moveriierit;` also permitiadjust- .ment of thev distributor forgeffectngfcontaet v,t0 such rockets fas-may have ,failedtoignite@ Theinventionaprovidesaan imprm/ed electric switchsuitable-- for-fmajny uses totherathan firing rockets,-such ast-,for Linstance iorprogressivmr seleetive-blasting. g rcertainfspecifc embodiments of the invention are illustratedfin thedrawings tiled'fherewith and are` hereinafter :fully-f described-.- VYbut itr isi .to :be

distinctly understoodfthat-ethe invention :is not considered:to-lbezlimited: tmsaid: speciiic-` embodiis denedby. the claims appended hereto. e EPT-5*; I'H/v Win21. @In the drawings; t IS'FigurefLisa longitudinal, vertical section on the line `l--ll ofgFigureQlfin the-directionpf the arrowsA-lf .u :a r.-

uw: Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical section on the linewZ-f-Z off vgureA 1, inthef-.ldirectionoflthe 1inev'3-3 sof; Figure i, in therdirectiongoffrthe y *w .,vfv'u., ugr-5 J, 1 1 Figure 4 is an end elevation of the right end ofthe device:as .viewed inzfFigure 1'. t f vFigurefis athorizontalf'transverse section on the Aline fli45=of Figure 8, in the directioniof the f. f-Figure 6 is a top plan of the impulse coupling shown in vertical section in Figure lil,- g3,t

Figure 7 is a transverse, vertical section on the une? 1go-1 o f,r?igu1re,1i r1the direction. .0f the flOW.: t i Figure 8 is a transverse, vertical sectonon the Heeft-ent of {,Feure. Ll, in.,- the. Asiirfctim .ai the arrows'f' Y' ai Vrfj 'z .YV-Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, the parts beingshown in. released; postin Afar. ervingt ,Figure 10 isa-riewisimlarfto Figures Mild 9, the-:parts AJrxeingt show-n in PQSitQnafQl lYere InJi/lement.,.4..V A. HIFigure 11 is a vertical section through the rear portion of, asrocket lailnrhert ,frame, Ashowing.,.the electrici .contacta of the.. cable imm the ,firing switch. i; Y Figure 12 is line l,2.l2 of aIrOWS. t, Figure 13 is a Wiring diagram.

.Fgurefliis a fragmentary, longitudinal, vertical section, similanto Figure 1sholwing a modied ,form,ofldistributor,.y r D -..,Figure. 15' is .a transverse, vertical section on the line/l-Ylio Figuren, inthe vdirection of the arrows. i l l, si, e v c f Figure 16 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevation of the indicator oft .theedistributor 0i ,Figures 14 and 15, showing the parts in a different relation. Figure 17..is a-.view similar to .Figurev16, the parts being in other diierentpos'itions.

t Figure 18 is `rrwiringfdiagram of the modied form of tiiedeviee= Y A's illustrated in the drawings (Figsfl to 13), the improved -fringswitch is mounted in a vcasing-l of suitable non-magnetic materialfhaving a rectangular bottom rI, side walls"'2 and 3, 'and c overilgrovided with a carrying handle 5. The casing is gravided toward the rightv end, asviewed iriHFigiirle 1, a;tubular"portion 6 depending Iren .wref @and paed firl'ltt H0. pitv'de la, recess IN onen atuthe end ofthe casing -and .closgdrby ayer 1 Partiti@ ..3 frilbtff 760 gip-4-I .-.Tlheute eed. @frommen 61S led ,bra

a greatl'ir section Vont-"the Figure 11, ,in the. drectonf the operativeleleinents of the imoroved ring plate 9 by bolts 20. Shaft I1 is socketed on its outer end protruding from cap ring I9 to receive therein the shaft 2| of crank handle'zvZZ for rotating shaft I1.

The crank handle 22 can be stowed, when not in use in the recess 1, held therein by a clip 1--atV on the outer face of the partition `8.

The shaft I1 is provided on its inner end with a head 23 having a pair of female coupling members 24 to receive therein the male coupling members on a drum 28 co-aXial with shaft I1. A

helical spring 21 disposed in drum 2.8 has its outer 3). Adjacent the recessed portions 1| of the pol-e shoes 88 of the magneto, there is a support bracket comprising a depending plate 12 suitably bolted to the partition 8 of the casing, and a pair of arms 13 between which is disposed a coil 14, its core 15 being engaged between the ends of pole shoes 98 and arms 13 by pins 16 threaded through armsr'13.; thereby connecting.shoesy 68 by core 15. The ends of the coil winding have"y leads 11 and 18 (Fig. 5) to the distributor and a ground wire,

ing posts- 80 and 82 on an insulated block 83 mounted onplate I3 adjacent its bearing 62. The upper'free end of plate 8| bears in electrical con- .tact on a metallic boss 84 on the end of, and inend 28 attached to drum 2B and its inner end 29 attached to a plate 30, by a post 3| mounted'on plate 30 and projecting into drum 26. Plate 39 is keyed onea*driven-shafti 32- journaled inaligned bearings 33 and 34-in5partition8-and plate I3, respectively, co-axial with shaft I1. It willbe noted (Fig, l) thatfthe right end vof -shaftSZ-is slightly spaced-from the leftend of head 23 of shaft I1, and hasthreadedtherein ay capnut35 with-asleeve 38 about shaft 32` serving as a bearing `for -cent'ralflange 31-1of drum` -26l thereby mounted yfor-free rotatinabut shaft 32 `between cap nut i-and'pl'a`te 39. -f--Plate 130l has a circular flange 38 concentric with shaft 32 andprojectinginto drum-26 vadjacont;flange- 81- of drum 28. Plate V30 has'ai-centraLsleeve-fS-S about` shaft32 spacing Yplate-30 from bearing 33Yi'n` partition` 8. Plate 38 has, at diametrically opposite portions onits"periphery,iradialiextensions v40 and 4 I' forming abutmeritsllt lPlatei-30lhasa pair ofA pintles 43, diametrically spaced from sleeve 39, on 'which are pivoted latches'447an'd 45 yhaving heads 48 having straightledgesitllfand fconvex' ends :48 concentric withpintles43, and-ft'ails 49 having inner concave edges 50 and outei'shouldersrl; VDrum -26 has'a'pair of lli1gs'52 "and: 53-on diametrically opposite sidesof drum-i 26 and projecting-parallel with axis of shaft 32 over plate 39 for coeaction withedges 413of heads r46fof1latche's 44 andf145, and'with abutments 42 of extensions 4E) and 4| (Fl'gsfayg, 10).".5 f tiff'. :f Y

A cylindrical stop-.pini54-:is'mounted on partition 8 adjacentsleeve.39`fand-sodisposedas to engage. the convex'fendsf y'48 Vof'sheadsj '4'8 "of latches 44 and 45 when heads 45 swingoutwardly (Fig. 8) when latches 441and 45^pivotg about v4pintlesr 43. `The shaft 32f`has; onits endi projecting from bearing 34 -inrplate-IS;,afpinion 55 which meshes with a gear fi'ixedfqn ajsh-aft 51 journaledin lbearing r,E8-inv p1ate-.-|3. A piniong-59 .fixed Yon shaft 51 Ymeslries-with a gear 60 on a hollow shaft @.I-:journaled in.;a.bearingVS2-in plate I 8.v j .e

f The shaftV 32 Vcarriesnthemagneto rotorfcomf D posed of twov permanentA magnet'blocks 63w.e lded A between `shoes,.of soft.- magnetic material, 84 clamped -by bolts 99 between ,nonffmagnetic plates A|59 suitably meuntdxnhaft 32.', 'Ijhe 'shoes 84 andfplates -B'Bfhaive coiyx ends I1 concentric lwivthg'shaft),32 andthe blocks vItnh'aye convexends v'B1-Ja 'concentricv with shaftll32'gand on radii inferior to the 'radii of ends 91 A(;11"Vig.i 3). The magneto pole'shoes are'hung'froma noner'nagn'etic bridge 69 archedaboveftheroto and 'susp`ended from cover "4. Theshoes 68 are composed of soft jmagnetic materiallha'ving' concave portions 10 concentric with shaft 32VV and of slightlygreate'r fradius than that of convex ends 81of the rotor,

and recessedfpor'tionsd Iffontheirlower endsiFig.

tegral with a sleeve mounted in the end of a bored shaft 86 seated in the hollow shaft 6I and having on its other end an integral disc 81. Shaft Sandwd'isciarelf insulating. material. Aseoond'disc 881 of insulating material .is disposed on the outerside/of disc81aandiboth discs 8.1 and 88 are pinned-togear 60* by` rivets 89. Shafts...6| and v89, gear 69 and discs.. 81 and-.88. areY concentric. Disc 88has .a radiall arm .90..on .which-is, nnziunteclan electrics-.contact .rmembe'n- 9|` con-1 nected to 'sleeve 85 byaconductor 923Which .passes through the centers'of! discs 81..and 88.,arid the bore of 2 shaft 89, and :has` itsend seated in Sleeve' 35;... 15. :.1 .12. .:11 5.1:4 i s lThe distributor."'casingxcomprises a.: hexagonal base liange`A` 93 .m'ounteclifon;.plate I3: by; bolts 94 (Figs. 1 Vand 2), aicylindrical .Wall ..95iand .-afcir. cular cover 96. f Theiiange 93,:wa11195and cover 99 vare integral-:and composedofcsuitable trains.-` parent insulating materialgsuchfas Lucite: YSuitably mountedinltlie wall..95'.-there..are twenty-v eightV contact `plates.:V 9 disposed radially of vand symmetric'allyV abo'utl- .tiiexs'aid concentric.. shafts 8i and 88 andldiscsl81 and 88;? The contact'member-9| has 'ariarcuate flexible-.portion 98extend ing radiallybeyondithefouten end-of radial arm 99' and sodisposedfa's toieifect'a wiping contact with each contact `plate-91.whenarm 90 and contactmemberfgl `Aare.rotated.. It will be noted (Fig. 2)' that thefspacingof plates 91 'and curvature of portion 98 aresuch'thatthe .wiper portionv 98 passes' :off of'- 'theplates/ 91,- to .'break vthe circuit, lin its. passagev from .one plate 91 to the next. Each plate 91 has a binding post-^99,"passed through wall `95,^tof.which"is connected an'insulated wire'fI 00. The wires |00 are led-from the 'distributor casing',i=ithe*tubular-housing I5, to an outlet -IIlI radial of'housing I5, and connected to suitable lcontactsin :a suitable terminal block vI 02 of "a: couplingfIlS for" fc'onrie'cting; thereto -a suitable terminal block |04 of acable |05 to the rocket launcher frame. It isrto-be1ioted (Fig. 13) that lead18 from'the coil 14 Ais connected by awirltoacont'act 4in'thex block |02 :for connection to the ground wire |01 of Gabler-|051' ""1"he other endoficable'flS-has' av similartermanni@ naled'in bearing |29 in plate H8. The `lead |30 from' the coil 14 has its terminal |3| connected to insulatedly mounted spring contact plate |32 pressed against boss |33 of'sleeve |34 in bored insulation shaft' |35 in hollow shaft |28 and having the integral disc head |36 mounted on insulating washer A|31 on gear |21 which is at tached to washer |31 and 'head |36. A springpressed contact arm |38 is attached toand ex- Ytends radially from head |36 and is connected with sleeve |34 by a |conductor |39 which passes through head |36 and shaft |35.

The modified form olf distributor has a housing |40 comprising a bottom |40-a, a top |40-b,

sides |40-c and |40-d, and end wall |40- ev and an outwardly turned, peripheral, base ange |40-f, attached toplate ||8 by boltsr|4|. A distributor plate |42 comprising a circular disc of insulating material is kmounted on end wall |40- e by bolts |43. Suitably mounted in plate 42 thereV are twenty-eight contact plates |44 disposed symmetrically in 'a circle concentric with shafts |28 and |35. The parts are so related that the outer end of contact arm |38 effects a wiping contact with each fplate |44 when anm |38 is traversed over face of disc |42 by rotation of shaft |35. It will be noted (Figures 14 and 15), that arm |38 has a projection |38-a to effect said contact and that the width of projection |38- a and the relative spacing of plates |44 are such that contact arm I3 passes oil' o8f the plates |44, to

break the circuit, in its passage from one plate` |44 to the next (Figure 15). Each plate |44 has a shank |45 provided with four terminals |46 in and |41-d, respectively (Figures 15 and 18, which are led Athrough housing |40 to four outlets |48-a, |48-b, |48 c and |48--d in theV sides |40- c and |40- d of housing |40. respectively (Figure 15). Said wires are connected by terminal blocks and couplings, as in the form vof the device above described, with wires in cables |49 connecting the ring switch to four rocket launcher frames |50, respectively. Itwillbenoted(Figure 18) that lead |5| of the coil 14 is connected by is pivoted a semaphore arm having an angu-v larly displaced finger |56 extending into the path of travel of the cont-act arm 38. A sight openingv |51 in top |40-d may be closed by a plug of transparent material such asv Lucite. The parts are so related that, when the contact armv |38 is disposed so as to position its projection |38- d intermediate the contact plate |4`4at the zenithy ofthe vertical diameter of distributor plate 42 and marked with the numeral 1 (Fig. 15) to indicatethat it is the contact for firing No. 1 rocket in eachframe |50, and the next contact plate |44 to the left (Fig. 15) which is the contact for firing No. 28 rocket in each frame |50, the semaphore arm |55 is brought co-axial with sight opening |51 and can be observed. Stop pins |58 inV block |54 serve to limit the movement of arm |55.

The device, illustrated in Figures l to 13, operates as follows. When the crank handle 22 has been connected with the driving shaft |1 and its outer portion is horizontally disposed (Figures 1 and 4), the rotor of the magneto is so disposed that its convex ends 61 are positioned between the pole shoes 68 and its convex ends 61-a adjacent shoes 68, respectively (Figure 3), and the wiper portion 98 of the contact member 9| of the distributor is positioned intermediate two of the contact plates 91 (Figure 2). The impulsecoupling is positioned as shown in Figures 1, 6, '7 and 8. It will be noted (Figure 8) that plate 30 is so disposed that the pintle 43, on which is pivoted latch 44, is above the horizontal diameter of plate 30 casing tail 49 of latch 44 to drop, its inner edge 50 contacting sleeve 39 of plate 30, thereby projecting head 46 of latch 44 radi-ally of plate 30, the convex end 48 of head 46 engaging stop-pin 54 thereby immoblizing plate 30 and shaft 32 against rotation.

The crank handle 22 is moved clockwise (Figure 4) from horizontal position to the right to horizontal position to the left. This half revolution of crank 22, through shaft |1, head 23 and coupling members 24 and 25 rotates drum 26 through an arc of 180. This rotation of drum 26, about immobilized shaft 32, puts spring 21 Iunder tension and moves drum lug 52, through an arc of 180, from its position shown in Figure 8 to the position of lug 53 in Figure 8. When lug 52 has moved through an arc of to the position shown in Figure 9, it has moved `over edge 41 of head 4G of latch 44 to retract latch 44, the. convex end 48 of head 46 moving off of the arcuate surface of stop-pin 54. This retraction of latch 44 releases lplate 30 which is rapidly rotated, with shaft 32, under the impulse of tensioned spring 21. It will be noted (Figures 8 and 9) that this springactuated rotation of plate 30 brings pintle 43 of latch 45 above the horizontal diameter of plate 30 causing tail 49 of latch 45 to drop thereby projecting head 46 of latch 45, so that when by the said yrotation of plate 38 the latch 45 is brought to the position in which latch 44 is shown in Figure 8, the end 48 of head 46 of latch 45 will engage the stop-pin 54, thereby again immobilizing the plate 30 and shaft 32 after their rotation through an arc of This rapid movement of shaft 32, driving the rotor of the magneto through an arc 180, counter-clockwise, as viewed in Figure 3, causes the magneto to perform its normal function, viz.

f this movement of the rotor produces a flux change in the magnetic circuit which links the coil 14, producing an electric current of the desired voltage. It will be understood that due to the driving .of the rotor by the tensioned spring 21, the rotor moving through an arc of 90 at increasing speed produces peak current ygeneration in coil 14, and moving through the remaining 90 of its travel at decreasing speed produces diminishing current in coil 14.

f The rotation of shaft 32 drivesshafts 6| and 86h,- through their associated gearing, rthereby moving' mpericcfact santdit aajanf' ri; mec-plate" 91, and closing `tne,circuitfiroiri i1 1.'4 vto thefsuitablelVA electric ring Amef'zh'anisin' 'in oneof the rockets irl-the fran'eflllf f It is to ube' understood Ythat tllel parts I are ,so4 designed and related thatthe circuit closing and current generation precisely coincide@-v s6 that the wiper contact 98` passesthe axis of each Contact platgl', closing the circuit,Y during the peak curi rent and moves from one contact-'plate 9`| tothe nit'duringan interval of-smallor {z'ero c nirrent.y f It 'will be r'iotedV that, -by` reasonof Y the 4driving ofthe-magneto rotorfby the tensioned spring 21, off theimpulse -coupling'uniform high speed `rota-` tfi'o" yisfeiectedjregardless of the 'speed of rota@ tinffhand-crank 22,( to vproduce` the desired rapiux `erlangte ger'iratag the Proper current to'ii'lre'the rockets.,V .I j n 'il Asr the distributor casing is transparent, the, wiper contact 987and Contact plates'91 areobser-vablapermitting adjustment of contact 9g relative-to the plates 91,preliminary to operation of the device for iiring:l To set the contactdl,I asI for instanceto condition the device for flring No. 1 rocket by effecting contact between plate 98-andthe plate 91 at the-zenith of thevertilcalV diameterof the distributor casing; the;A crank handle 22` is rotated counter-clockwise, asfviewed inv Figure 4; Such'rotation causes shaft ||'he ad 23'and coupling members 2 4 and 25 to-drive drum ZGcOunter-clockwise. Lugs V52 andY 53, engaging abutments l42 of extensions 4D on plate 30, effect direct drive of plate 3|) and shaft 32 (Figure 10) Straight-edges 4l of 'heads 46 of latches 44 and 45, striking stop-pin 54, retract latches 44 and 45. Such rotation of shaft 32 effects suchloW-speed movement of the magneto rotor relative to pole shoes 58that the coil 14 does not -produce any current. Therefore, contact 9B passes, in this die rection (clockwise as viewed in Figure 2,), over plates 91 innocuously. It is obvious that the device lcan be thus conditioned to eiect contact with any-selected plate 9'! on the initial operative r0- tation of [crank handle 22, forinitially ring a selected rocket in the frame |9.-

In the'device illustrated in Figures 14 to `18, the means forv driving shaft |20 function as above described and rotation of shaft |29 causes the magneto and coil to supply the current to the dis-v tributor, and operate the distributor` as aboveV described. It is obvious that when contact arm |38 is brought into contact with onerof therplates |44, acircuit is closed from the coil to the ring mechanism of one rocket in each of the four frames |50, to discharge a salvo of four rockets.

-As above described, the signal semaphore |55 is provided to indicate that contact arm |38 is positioned to eiect contact with plate |44 for ring No. 1 rocket in each frame |50, lon initial operative'- rotation of crank handle 22; It is ob- Viousfthat contact arm |38 can-be so positioned, in the same way that `contact 98 is positioned, as' above described. When arm |38 moves/away from nger |56 (clockwise as viewed in Figure jon firing, the finger |56 moves by gravity to swing arm |55 away from 'sight opening v|51v (Figure 16). When finger |56 is in 'the path of arm |38, moving in either direction, it will be deflected, as shown lin Figure 17, uninterfering with movement of arm |38.

It willbe noted that the magneto disclosed herein comprises a coil 'I4 in which al1 of the ilux changes linking the coil are produced di-'g rectly inthe coil by rotation of the magnet rotor.

8 Furthermorejhe magneto operatesvwith a simple gen'ratfaction tfo prod'cefcurrt L"which, is passed directly from this'A coil to the rotatable contact member 9 I'fw'itliout, requiring primary and secridaryfcoilsor breaker points of c'onven tionalmagnetosThe magneto thus eliminates the mstlt'ubles'me andperishable itemsl of conventional magnetos thereby providing a device having the desired characteristics of'ruggedness, durability,and'longdependable life under condition's`v encountered 'in theV eld incident to lailnching; rocketslasV well as for progressive or: se-` l'ectlven blasting operations forroad building,A einen..Orrriiriihawork- Y l i Having describedthtinventiom what I claim is: l MY1. *an vielecztric-switch, the` combination of a casing having-a pairofY removable, fparallel'en'd wallis,la'n fintegral intermediate partition parallel therewith, .-and,a` 'top`; a driving `shaft, having a removable crank handle, journaled in oneren'dV Wall; a driven shaft,coa'xial with vsaid driving shaft, journaled in the otherend wall and said partition; anyimpulse'coupling connecting Ysaid shafts; amagrn'etgurtor mounted on said driven straft;v a -paroi magneto pole shoes, suspended fromsaid top, lrelatively spaced -on the sides of said rotor,respe`ctively; a coil having acore supported fromvsaid partition and connectingr said sho`es,.said coil having' two leads'from its ends, respectively; a seconddriven ishaftjournaled in tliend wall inwhich said first Vdriven, shaftY is. j'ournaled; gearingconnecting saiddriven shafts; a 'distributorhousingmounted-,on the Vend wall in 'which "said clrivenvshafts are journaled; a pluralityof 'electrical contacts mounted `in said housing and .arrangedsymmetrically in a circle concentric with said second driven shaft; a contact arm' mounted onsaid'seconcl `drivenshaft forteiecting electrical contact betweensaid arm and ,said distributortcontacts successivelyY when saidsecond driven shaft is rotated; an electricalv connector between one o'f said coil leads and said contacta-rm; and means, mounted on said casing, for connecting said switch with a plurality of electrically operatedmechanisms, said connectingfromsaid'top, relatively spaced on the sides of;

said rotor, respectively; a coil having a core sup'- ported from said partition, and' connecting'said shoes, said coil having two leads from its ends, refspectively; 4a second driven shaft journaled in the end wall in which said rstdriven shaft is journaled;gearing connecting said driven shafts; .a distributor housing mountedV onA the end wall `in Whichc'said driven. shafts arevjournaled; a plate of insulating material mounted in said housing normal to saidsecond driven shaft; a plurality of,V

electricalcontacts mounted in said plate andarranged symmetrically in a circle concentric witlff saidsecond driven-shaft; a contact arm mounted on saidseconddriven shaft for eiecting electrical contactbetweensaid armandisaidY-distributor con-i tagte-successively when Saidlvsecond diveeshaftis rotated; an electric connector between one of said coil leads and said contact arm; and a plurality of means, mounted on said housing, for connecting said switch with a plurality of sets of electrically operated mechanisms, respectively, each of said connecting means having an electrical connector to the other coil lead, and a plurality of electrical connectors to said distributor contacts, respectively.

3. In an electric switch, the combination of a casing having a pair of parallel end Walls, an integral intermediate partition parallel therewith, and a top; a driving shaft having a removable crank handle, journaled in one end wall; a driven shaft co-axial with said driving shaft, journaled in the other end wall and said partition; an impulse coupling connecting said shafts; a magneto rotor mounted on said driven shaft; a pair of magneto pole shoes supported by said top, relatively spaced on the sides of said rotor, respectively; a coil having a core connecting said shoes, said coil having two leads from its ends, respectively; a second driven shaft journaled in the end wall in which said first driven shaft is journaled; gearing connecting said driven shafts; a distributor housing mounted on the end wall in which said driven shafts are journaled; a plurality of electrical contacts mounted in said housing and arranged concentric with said second driven shaft; a Contact arm mounted on said second driven shaft for eiecting electrical contact between said arm and said distributor contacts successively when said driven shaft is rotated; an electrical connector between one of said coil leads and said contact arm; and means mounted on; said casing, for connecting said switch with a plurality of electrically operated mechanisms.

PAUL T. NIMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

